A higher alcohol is used, for example, as a raw material for various kinds of surfactants and in food.
A supply source of the higher alcohol mainly depends on oleaginous plants such as coconut and palm kernels. However, a region in which the oleaginous plant can be grown is limited, and it is concerned that use of arable land for supplying a higher alcohol may compete with use of arable land for supplying food or the like.
It is therefore desired to develop a technology for supplying a higher alcohol without depending on use of the oleaginous plant.
Further, a higher alcohol originating in the oleaginous plant has a widespread distribution in the number of carbon atoms. A surfactant derived from a higher alcohol having 12 to 14 carbon atoms is preferably used as a surfactant, and hence it is necessary to adjust its demand and supply. This is an obstacle to increasing the production amount of a higher alcohol.
Meanwhile, it was found that the protozoan “Euglena” produces a lipid with an alkyl group having 14 carbon atoms, and a method of producing a higher alcohol by saponification decomposition of the lipid has been reported (Patent Document 1).